Tuesday, October 7, 2008

moving to Japan!

Well, for those of you who've heard the rumors - it's true. We're moving to Japan next month! In the next 2 weeks we've got to finish packing up the house stuff, hire a truck, drive it to Atlanta, then come back, load up the car with a last load of books, then drive up to Newark, NJ for one last radio convention, then 2 weeks later, we're on a plane for Osaka, Japan.

I want to calm those who are concerned about the future of BearManor Media. I've even written a story to be placed in Classic Images about this, because my #1 concern in all this isn't for myself being in Japan or any other personal or professional reason. I have all the biz stuff worked out about this move.

My #1 concern is what You all think of this move. I don't want anyone thinking I'm going out of business or I'll be inaccessible or uninterested or busy or doing non-book work. The one question I get the most from authors is: "how can you run a business from Japan?" So I need to explain the situation a bit more.

First, the whole point of the move is because most of what I do - about 90% - is online. I don't talk on the phone much or get many phone orders. Not many orders by post either. Most orders come online. I now have a new phone # which is on the BM website. It's a Calif. # which works from anywhere in the world. So now you call Calif and talk me in GA. Soon you'll call Calif and talk to me in Japan. And it won't cost you a cent more. You're calling Calif!

I have 2 fulfillment companies that pack and ship books for me. The only difference to living in Japan is the perks - for all of us. I will have more time and resources there to build up BearManor Media. The plan is to produce more titles, more ads, more awareness of our company. I'm very Excited about this. That's why it's IMPORTANT to me that every customer and author reading this understands that this move is a good thing. So please feel free to ask me all the questions you like, and start cheering us on! My goal is to KEEP printing books other publishers won't take a chance on. Larger publishers are concerned more with profits than with preserving history. I'm no idiot, tho. I'm always on the lookout for GOOD sellers (we've got books coming on Jaws, Hulk, Dead End Kids, etc.), so that I can temper them with the NOT SO GOOD sellers that deserve just as much to be published, but which are so much more iffy, profitly speaking. Iffy does not = valueless.

Sorry for the speech there. But I hope you see my passion for what I do. This is what I love doing and what needs to be done. YOU can help me, by spreading this message. Tell all your celebrity friends they should write a book. :) And when you tell them who'd be interested, don't say "this guy in Japan," say BearManor Media!!

3 comments:

the word I think should be profitablity --not profitly-- you have inspired me to write a book- I come upon many celebrities in my line of work as a theater critic-- have fun in Japan -it is a beautiful country--Roz

Congratulations Ben, you are doing something I wish I would have done 52 years ago. I love Japan, I love the Japanese people. Like you, my in-laws are Japanese. I am too entrenched to move now,but it is always in the back of my head. Have a great live Ben, living in Japan, I know you will.